That might sound like a really weird question, and is probably the start of a really geeky blog....but to explain there was a reason behind my asking this.I was watching a series about the history of music recently, during the course of the first programe the presenter explained how initially music was made up of single notes....until the first big breakthrough when someone decided to sing an octave higher to make a fuller sound. He then went on to explain that over a period of time people started experimenting adding different notes, interestingly this was done in the context of church music in the Middle Ages, until someone realized that some notes sounded good together while others didn't, and so harmonies were born. After a while some people really messed things around until as well as making the expected sound of the major key some radical added the note to create the minor key. Its amazing to think that the musical sounds we hear today had to be invented.A day or two later I saw another program that was talking about how the major and minor keys replicate human speech patterns, a happy voice follows the major key and a sad voice the minor key.....this set me thinking if we had to invent the minor key how come no one noticed it much earlier if it matches human speech? and did any animals make sounds in a minor key? So I had the though "do birds sing in a minor key?".Well there was only one thing to do and that was to type the question into Google. I was slightly surprised by what I found, and (assuming the site I looked at was correct....but it was some research at an American University), the answer came back that the only natural sounds in nature be it bird song or the sound of a waterfall are all in major keys. Now some people might at this point shrug their shoulders and say so what, but I was really struck at how unique as human beings we are, and how something as simple as music really sets us apart from the rest of creation. Its amazing to think that God gave us the ability to use such a wide spectrum of sounds and the ability to replicate the way in which we speak into music, it is no surprise we find all sorts of emotions being stirred as we listen to different type of music. No wonder then that music is such and integral part of our worship, what a wonderful way God has given to us to connect to Him.

Why do Minor Keys sound sad?
If you want to answer this question, there is the problem, that some minor chords don't sound sad. The solution is the Theory of Musical Equilibration. It says, that music is not able to transmit emotions directly. Music can just convey processes of will, but the music listener fills this processes of will with emotions. Similar, when you watch a dramatic movie in television, the movie cannot transmit emotions directly, but processes of will. The spectator perceives the processes of will dyed with emotions - identifying with the protagonist. When you listen music you identify too, but with an anonymous will now.
If you perceive a major chord, you normally identify with the will "Yes, I want to...". If you perceive a minor chord, you identify normally with the will "I don't want any more...". If you play the minor chord softly, you connect the will "I don't want any more..." with a feeling of sadness. If you play the minor chord loudly, you connect the same will with a feeling of rage. You distinguish in the same way as you would distinguish, if someone would say the words "I don't want anymore..." the first time softly and the second time loudly.
This operations of will in the music were unknown until the Strebetendenz-Theory discovered them. And therefore many previous researches in psychology of music failed. If you want more information about music and emotions and get the answer, why music touches us emotionally, you can download the essay "Vibrating Molecules and the Secret of their Feelings" for free. You can get it on the link:
http://www.willimekmusic.homepage.t-online.de/music-and-emotions.pdf
Enjoy reading
Bernd Willimek

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Avalord

11/6/2014 01:33:33

"Theory of Musical Equilibration. It says, that music is not able to transmit emotions directly."
This is funny. While NOTHING "transmits emotions directly" (How should I imagine that, little angels carrying packages labeled "Love" or "Hatred" from one head to the other there is no more direct method of transmitting other than music known to mankind.

So that theory is simply mute. Theories like this only serve the urge of some academic for recognition and not the enhancement of knowledge...

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mary lynn

3/30/2015 19:07:56

Dr. John Diamond research on Analog vrs. Digital. The Digital seems to react negativly with people. What do you think?

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Caroline Morris is a dedicated leader or our worship groups. Caroline is creating a culture of passionate worship helping to bridge the gap between generations, styles, and backgrounds through her well rounded approach to worship.